Key Aspects:
- A 47-year-old guest has vanished from Carnival Horizon as she never returned after debarking the ship while visiting Bonaire.
- Local authorities have continued search efforts and have tip hotlines available for anyone who may have further information.
- Missing person cases are rare but do happen for a wide variety of reasons from different cruise ships at ports all over the world.
The search continues for a cruise guest missing from Carnival Horizon since the ship’s visit to Kralendijk, Bonaire on Wednesday, September 17, 2025.
Security footage confirmed the American guest, 47-year-old Jessica Collins, debarked the ship at the southern Caribbean port of call. She did not return by the published all-aboard time that day and has not been seen since.
721News stated that authorities have noted that Collins was wearing a light, button-down shirt, light blue shorts, and sandals, as well as carrying a gray backpack. Security photos also show she appears to have had a water bottle and AirPods as she left the ship.
Her backpack looks full in the photos and speculation is rampant about Collins’ intentions, whether she may have intended to disappear to start a new life or had simply packed all that she needed for a fun beach day.
Speculation is exactly that, however, and no statements or confirmed details about her intentions are available.
Guests who were onboard the ship recall hearing Collins’ name highlighted several times over the public address system.
This is standard practice as the ship’s all-aboard time passes and crew members attempt to locate any passengers who may not have checked back in as they reboarded the ship.
Carnival Cruise Line has not made any public statement about the disappearance, but is undoubtedly cooperating with authorities as the investigation is ongoing.
Local police are asking anyone who may have seen Collins or who could have information about her whereabouts to contact them.
Carnival Horizon departed Miami, Florida for the 8-night Southern Caribbean itinerary on Saturday, September 13. Bonaire was the second port of call on the popular A-B-C itinerary, following Aruba and before the ship visited Curacao.
Collins appears to have been traveling alone aboard the Vista-class ship, or at least debarked the ship by herself.
Carnival Horizon returned to PortMiami on schedule on Sunday, September 21, the same day she will depart on her next voyage, a 6-night Western Caribbean itinerary. The ship will not return to Bonaire until October 15, 2025.
Missing Persons From Cruise Ships
It can be shocking when a guest goes missing from a cruise ship, particularly if they might vanish without an apparent trace.
While overboard concerns are often the first suspicion, security footage and the ship’s tracking of guest identification cards can confirm whether or not missing passengers departed the ship.
In some cases, such as when Brad Solomon disappeared in April 2024 while Icon of the Seas was visiting Cozumel, a guest might become disoriented and lost. With Solomon, some dementia and communication issues likely contributed to Solomon’s tragic disappearance.
In July 2024, a teen boy traveling with his grandmother aboard Caribbean Princess in Germany disappeared but was found safe more than two days later. He had arranged to meet someone he had known online, but no evidence of any criminal intent was noted.
One of the most well-known and still unresolved cases of a missing person from a cruise ship is the story of Amy Bradley. The then 23-year-old went missing from Rhapsody of the Seas in March 1998 while the ship was visiting Curacao and she has never been located.
A recent Netflix miniseries, “Amy Bradley is Missing” generated renewed interest in her case and highlights the potential dangers of traveling to some cruise ports.
More From Cruise Hive
It is important to remember, however, that thousands, even millions of cruise guests safely visit ports all over the world every year. Every cruise traveler should be diligent with their personal safety, both on and off the ship.
Cruise Hive hopes Jessica Collins will be safely located soon and our thoughts are with her family members and friends at this troubling time.
